Six months after a water main break caused major damage to their house, a Hempfield Township family is demanding answers from the Municipal Authority of Westmoreland County.

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Updated: 6:31 PM EST Jan 11, 2017

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WEBVTT TOOK HER BATTLE OUT OF THEHOME AND STRAIGHT TO THE WATERAUTHORITY.REPORTER: THE ROGERS FAMILYWAITED TWO HOURS TOREWESTMORELAND COUNTY'S WATERAUTHORITY TO SHOW UP AND FIX THEBREAK.THE RESULT THOUSANDS OF DOLLARSIN DAMAGE TO THEIR HOME.THE STATE LAW SAYS THE AUTHORITYDOES NOT HAVE TO PAY A NICKLE TOREPAIR ALL THE DAMAGE.TODAYS VICTIMS SHOWED UP AT THEAUTHORITY BOARD MEETINGDEMANDING ANSWERS.>> OH MY GOD.REPORTER: THE ROGERS FAMILYWATCHED IN HORROR AS WATERFLOODED THEIR HEMPFIELD TOWNSHIPHOME AFTER A WATER MAIN BURST INJULY.BUT THE MOST FRUSTRATING PARTWAS THE WAIT.>> THIS WAS TWO HOURS AGO, MYHOUSE IS NOW FLOODED.REPORTER: ON WEDNESDAY HOMEOWNERAMY ROGERS AIRED HER CONCERNS ATTHE MUNICIPAL AUTHORITY OFWESTMORELAND COUNTY'S BOARDMEETING.>> I WAS IN A STATE OF SHOCK.I WATCHED HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDSOF GALLONS OF WATER ENGULFING MYPROPERTY, I CAN ACCEPT TAKINGTEN TO 15 MINUTES TO GET TO ANEMERGENCY, BUT TWO HOURS?THAT IS NEGLIGENCE.REPORTER: THE AUTHORITY'S BOARDDID NOT RESPOND BUT ACTION NEWSINVESTIGATES QUESTIONED THEAUTHORITY'S LAWYER.THE WATER WAS LITERALLY GUSHINGINTO THEIR HOUSE.WHY DIDN'T THE AUTHORITY RESPONDFASTER.>> MY UNDERSTANDING IS WHEN ITGREW TO A SITUATION THAT WASCAUSING DAMAGES LIKE THAT THERESPONSE TIME WAS RELATIVELYQUICK.REPORTER: BUT NOT QUICK ENOUGHTO PREVENT MAJOR DAMAGE.>> MY WHOLE YARD WAS ACTUALLYUNDERWATER, AND THERE WAS DAMAGEDONE TO OUR SIDING, SHUTTERS,GUTTERS, ROOF, MY BASEMENT, MYWHOLE DRIVEWAY WAS WASHED OUT.REPORTER: THE DAMAGE TOTALEDNEARLY $40,000, BUT BECAUSE THEYARE NOT IN A FLOOD ZONE THEROGERS GOT ONLY $1,789 FROMTHEIR INSURANCE COMPANY.THE WATER AUTHORITY REFUSED TOGIVE THEM ANYTHING CITING ASTATE LAW THAT MAKES GOVERNMENTAGENCIES IMMUNE TO PROPERTYDAMAGE CLAIMS.THE AUTHORITY'S LAWYER SAYS THATLAW PROTECTS TATAXPAYERS.>> AND CLEARLY WITHOUT THATIMMUNITY TEE THERE WOULD BE AHIGH INCREASED COST AMONG PUBLICENTITIES.BUT THIS CLAUSE I FEEL HAS MADEYOUR EMPLOYEES UNCONCERNED WITHDAMAGES HAPPENING TO HOMES ANDPROPERTY.REPORTER: WELL THE FIGHT IS NOTOVER.THE WATER AUTHORITY'S LAWYERSAYS HE WILL WORK WITH THEROGER'S FAMILY AND THEIRINSURANCE COMPANY TO WORK OUTSOME KIND OF A SETTLEMENT.AIM ME ROGERS TELLS ME HER HOMEIS STILL A MESS AND SHE FEARS IT

Victim of water main break confronts water authority

Six months after a water main break caused major damage to their house, a Hempfield Township family is demanding answers from the Municipal Authority of Westmoreland County.

Six months after a water main break caused major damage to their home, a Westmoreland County family is demanding answers from the water authority.

The Rodgers family watched in horror in July as water flooded their Hempfield Township home after a water main burst. But the most frustrating part was the wait.

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Homeowner Amy Rodgers said it took two hours for the Municipal Authority of Westmoreland County to show up. She aired her concerns at the authority's board meeting Wednesday.

"I was in a state of shock. I watched hundreds of thousands of gallons of water engulfing my property," she said. "I can accept taking 10 or 15 minutes to get to an emergency. But two hours? That is negligence."

The authority's board did not respond. Action News Investigates asked the authority's lawyer why there was not a quicker response.

"My understanding is when it grew to a situation causing damage like that the response time was relatively quick," attorney Scott Avolio said.

The damage totaled nearly $40,000. But because they're not in a flood zone, the Rodgers got only $1,789 from their insurance company.

The water authority refused to give them anything, citing a state law that makes government agencies immune to property damage claims.

The authority's lawyer said that law protects taxpayers.

"Clearly without that immunity there would be a high increased cost among public entities like the Municipal Authority of Westmoreland County or your local township or local city," Avolio said.

"This clause I feel has made your employees unconcerned with damages happening to homes and property," Rodgers told the authority.

This fight is not over. The authority's lawyer said he will work with the Rodgers family and their insurance company to work out a settlement. Rodgers said her home is still a mess and she fears it could get worse during the winter if something is not done soon.